The
new malware is being distributed on adult-oriented Russian websites
that prompt only Android users to download the Trojan, while those
visiting the sites through other platforms are able to obtain the
desired content, a Kaspersky
Lab press release said.

"As
with its predecessor, the latest Trojan –
Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.FakePlayer.b – masquerades as a media player,"
said the U.K.-based security vendor. "Users of smartphones
running Android are asked to download the pornplayer.apk application
from an infected webpage in order to view adult content videos. The
installation file is only 16.4 KB and during installation the Trojan
seeks the user's consent to send SMS messages – a requirement that
a media player is very unlikely to need."

In
order to view the adult content, Android users are prompted to
download a 16.4 KB file named "pornplayer.apk" from the
infected websites. During installation, the Trojan gains consent to
send SMS messages -- a highly unlikely requirement for a typical
media player.

Once
the app is launched, the Trojan sends SMS messages to a premium
number at a rate of $6 per message, and right into the hackers' bank
accounts.

"Android
users should pay close attention to the services that an application
seeks permission to access," said Denis Maslennikov, a Kaspersky
rep said. "Automatically permitting a new application to access
every service that it says it needs to means you could end up with
malicious or unwanted applications doing all sorts of things without
requesting any additional information."

Because
the code for the new Trojan is very similar to the first
one we saw a month ago, Kaspersky believes that it is very likely
to be authored by the same person or group of people.

Last
week, an Austrian security testing lab released a study of four
comparative smartphone security products, PCMag reports.
The findings recommend that "nobody who uses a smartphone should
go without security software."

AV-Comparatives
does not recommend one of the security suites over another, but
merely contends that each one has its values that should be
considered by smartphone users. Each of the products offers the
standard security protection you'd find in a PC suite -- namely
firewall protection and mobile virus detection.

"Death Is Very Likely The Single Best Invention Of Life" -- Steve Jobs